belif - The true cream - Aqua Bomb (review)

A gel-cream that 'floods' the skin with a rush of refreshing hydration and minimizes the appearance of pores for soft, smooth, supple skin for normal to combination skin types, including oily skin, and dry skin types looking for a lightweight moisturizer.

Aqua Bomb is an ultra-lightweight, mineral oil-free gel-cream that instantly cools and refreshes skin while providing intensive hydration. This formula contains a blend of apothecary herbs, including antioxidant-rich lady's mantle, which helps neutralize skin-damaging free radicals, improves skin elasticity, and minimizes the appearances of pores. This refreshing cream is formulated to 'burst' when applied, releasing a flood of weightless moisture onto skin, and then absorb completely for a healthy, smooth, supple appearance.

Formulated WITHOUT:

- Parabens

- Sulfates

- Phthalates

(as per the website)

I got two of these in two separate Sephora Favorites sets 'Soko to Tokyo' (haul) .The set had a bunch of Asian skincare products all from Japan and Korea. belif is a Korean brand. I have tried a tiny sample of the belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb and then I have tried this The true cream - Aqua Bomb. Yes, there are two of these. The aqua bomb targets normal to combination and oily skin while the Moisturizing bomb targets normal to dry skin.

Hydration vs Moisturization

Dehydrated skin literally means lack of hydration aka water. So products that contain water or humectants that attract more moisture and holds water molecules are to be used to combat the dehydrated skin condition. Hydration makes skin plump and supple.

Dry skin lacks oil. So it needs to be moisturized. Products containing emollients like different types of oils are needed to take care of the dry skin condition. Moisturizing makes skin soft, smooth and free of dry flaky areas.

Often both these conditions overlap each other and it is always advisable to both hydrate and moisturize the skin. People with oily skin too get dehydrated.

Feel and Effect on Skin: The product feels cool on skin. It spreads easily and is initially tacky. After about a minute it is absorbed completely. The skin feels very refreshed, just like one feels after splashing face with cold water. It is very soothing. The skin feels hydrated and plump and moisturized too, but later after an hour plus, I noticed my skin felt a bit dry. As if the whole water was evaporated and some more hydration/water was needed. It felt a bit stretched. I felt the need to apply some of my regular moisturizer that is more emollient.

For experimenting, I also used this beneath my Kiehl's Super Multi- corrective cream(review) as an added step and then i didn't feel the need to re-apply. I cannot completely credit the benefits to aqua bomb, but if used in conjugation with a heavier cream, this performed much much better.

The product did not break me out.

Packaging: It comes in a plastic jar and the twist screw top cap looks like magicians hat.

Verdict: The true cream - Aqua Bomb is a good product for oily skin or even for dry skin during hot and humid months or if light hydration is needed. It does not works completely as a stand alone moisturizer for my dry skin. Also, I personally like face oils and creams. So the level of moisture I expect is a bit high. It is very light weight and I enjoyed the way it felt on the skin for first hour or so. The whole experience was very calming and soothing.

Disclaimer: The product is purchased by me. The post contains Affiliate links.